Propelled surfboard



Feb. 6, 1962 H. A. BERLINER 3,019,760

PROPELLED SURFBOARD Filed March 9, 1960 i & m

niteti rates 3,919,760 PROPELLED SURFBOARD Henry A, Berliner, 2%341Tilden St. NW., Washington 11C. Filed Mar. 9, 1960, Ser. No. 13,913 9filairns. (ill. 115-40) This invention relates to surfboard constructionand more particularly to improvements in foot-operated propelling meanstherefor.

In the past, foot-operated propelling devices for surfboards, floats, orthe like have been actuated by the occupant moving his feet in a mannersimulating walking or running. This type of movement of the feet isundesirable as it requires the occupant to bend and raise the kneeswhile lying face down on the surfboard.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide propellingmechanism for use in surfboard construction which may be operated by anatural swimming movement of the feet of the occupant.

Another object is to provide light-weight, inexpensive, foot-operatedpropelling mechanism for surfboard propulsion.

Another object is to provide a complete propelling mechanism which maybe quickly and easily attached as a unit to a conventional surfboard.

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will become moreapparent from the following specification taken in conjunction with thedrawing, in which:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the surfboard;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 22 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on line 33 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line -i l of FIG. 1, thedrive shaft and gears being shown in elevation; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on line 55 ofFIG. 3.

Propelling mechanism which may be actuated by a flutter-kick swimmingmovement of the feet of the occupant of a surfboard is shown in thedrawing. A surfboard or float, generally indicated at the numeral 1 inP16. 1, has a generally flat upper surface adapted to receive the bodyof an occupant lying in prone position and is provided at the rear endthereof with a foot-actuated propelling mechanism 2. A housing 3 whichsupports propelling mechanism 2 includes a bottom wall 4, side walls 5and 6, end walls 7 and 8 and a top 9. Side walls 5 and 6 and end wall 7include outwardly extending flange portions 11 upon which top 9 isseated.

An opening 12 formed in the rear end 13 of surfboard 1 is slightly widerthan housing 3 and somewhat longer than propelling mechanism 2 includingpropeller 13. Propelling mechanism 2 is adapted to be attached tosurfboard 1 as a unit by inserting the housing 3 into opening 2 so thatflange portions 11 of side walls 5 and 6 and of end wall 7 will overliethe adjacent upper surface 10 and permit the housing to be secured inthe opening by fasteners 14 passing through top 9 and flanges 11. Theupper surface of surfboard 1 upon which flanges 11 rest may be recessedin order to permit the upper surface of top 9 to lie flush with surface10. In the event that it is not convert-h ent to recess one end wall ofsurfboard 1 in order to receive housing 3, end wall '7 of housing 3 maybe directly secured on the rear face of end 13 of surfboard 1 byfasteners passing through openings provided therein, thus installing thehousing 3 rearwardly of the surfboard.

Axially aligned bearings 15 and 16 are mounted on or may be formed withend walls 7 and 8, respectively, midway between side walls 5 and 6, androtatably support a shaft 17 having propeller 18 fixedly secured to theouter end thereof. Spur gears H and are journaled on prodfil fiiiiiFatented Feb. 6, 1962 peller shaft 17 between bearings 15 and 16 and areadapted to rotate shaft 17 in one direction through oneway clutches.

Any conventional type of one-way clutch mechanism may be employedbetween spur gears 19 and 20 and propeller shaft 17 and, by way ofillustration, there is shown in FIG. 5 a simple, compact structure whichserves this purpose. As spur gears 1% and 28' are identical in structureand the one way clutch mechanisms employed between spur gears 19 and 2lland shaft 1'7 are identical, the structure and method of operation ofonly spur gear 29 and of the one-way clutch mechanism employed therewithwill be described. Spur gear 21) is provided with a plurality ofV-shaped recesses 21 along its inner periphery which receive rollers 22.Compression springs 23 are positioned between rollers 22 andcorresponding Walls 24 of recesses 21, and serve to urge rollers 22 intocontact with propeller shaft 17 and with the opposed walls 25 ofrecesses 21. Springs 23 are very weak and exert on rollers 22 onlysuflicient pressure to maintain the rollers in contact with walls 25 andshaft 17. In order to prevent displacement of springs 23, one end ofeach spring may be seated in an opening 26 formed in the respective wall24 of spur gear 20.

It will thus be seen that during rotation of spur gear 29 in a clockwisedirection, rollers 22 will become wedged between walls 25 and shaft 17and thus rotate shaft 17 in a clockwise direction while rotation of gear2i? in a counter-clockwise direction will tend to move rollers 22 to thedeeper portions of recesses '21 where no wedging action takes place,thus permitting spur gear 2% to overrun shaft 17 in a counter-clockwisedirection.

Gear racks 27 and 23 are adapted to rotate spur gears 19 and 2d and areprovided with teeth 29 and 3% which are in mesh with teeth 19:! and 2th:of spur gears 19 and 2% respectively, so that reciprocation of gearracks 27 and 28 will cause rotation of spur gears 19 and 219. J- shapedhanger members 31 and 32 are identical in struc ture and maintain racks27 and 28 in contact with spur gears 19 and 2t) on the upper and lowersides, respectively, thereof. Shaft 17 pivotally supports hangers 31 and32 by passing through openings 33 and 34 which are slightly larger indiameter than the shaft. The outer surfaces 27a and 28a of racks 27 and23 bear against walls 35 and 36 of hangers 31 and 32 while hanger sidewalls 37 and 38 guide the racks therebetween. The rack 27, operating onthe top of spur gear 1? from the left side thereof (as viewed in FIGS. 2and 3), and the rack 28 operating on the bottom of the spur gear 26, maybe reciprocated alternately to impart continuous clockwise rotation tothe shaft 17. Hangers 31 and 32, being pivotally mounted on shaft 17,maintain the racks 27 and 28 in engagement with the respective spurgears despite the fact that their path of movement during operation ofthe propelling mechanism is not truly longitudinal.

Cylindrical spacing elements 66, 61, and 62 are mounted on shaft 17 tomaintain spur gears 19 and 2.6 properly spaced with respect to eachother and also with respect to end walls 7 and 8. Spacer 60 ispositioned between bearing 15 and hanger 31, spacer 61 is positionedbetween spur gears 19 and 2%, and spacer 62 is positioned betweenbearing 16 and hanger 32. Spacer 61 together with hangers 31 and 32prevents rollers 22 from being displaced from recesses 21 in spur gears19 and 2G. Spacer 69 is formed with a threaded opening 63 which receivesa threaded set screw 64. Shaft 17 is prevented from axial movement afterthe parts are assembled thereon by turning set screw 64 inwardly untilshaft 17 is firmly engaged to fixedly secure spacer 66 on shaft 17.

A pair of bell-crank levers 39 and are pivotally mounted in housing 3 onshafts 41 and 42 and reciprocate racks 27 and 28. As viewed in FIGS. 2and 3,

shaft 41 is mounted between end walls 5 and 6 to the left of shaft l7,while shaft 42 is mounted between end walls 5 and 6 to the right ofshaft 17. Bell-crank lever 39 is journaled intermediately theendsthereof on shaft 41 while bell-crank lever is journaled on shaft 42in a similar manner. The inner ends 43 and 44 of levers 39 and 40 arepivotally attached to the outer ends 45 and 46 of racks 27 and 28 asindicated at 47 and 48, respectively. The outer ends 49 and 5% of levers39 and 4%) pass through openings 51 and 52 in top 9 and diverge ingenerally upward and transversely outward directions. Depressions 53 and54 are formed in the upper surface of levers 39 and 4 near the outerends thereof to accommodate the foot of the occupant and straps 55 and56 may be attached to the upper surface of levers 39 and ill to spandepressions 53 and 54.

The outer ends 49 and of levers 39 and dd are normally maintained in araised position by tension springs 57 and 58. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3,one end of spring 57 is attached to side wall 5 while the other end isattached adjacent the inner end 43 of lever 39 midway between pivot 47and the point where lever 39 is mounted on shaft 41. Spring 58 isattached to side wall 6 at one end While the other end is attached tolever 4t midway between pivot 48 and the point where lever 46 is mountedon shaft 42. Stops (not shown) may be employed to limit the extent ofmovement of levers 39 and 40 in either or both directions.

In order to prevent propeller 18 from coming into contact'with anyperson or with the earth, runners or skids 66 and 68 are provided on thebottom of surfboard 1 extending lengthwise thereof at each side ofopening 12. Therunners, as shown in FIG. 4, decrease in height fromtherear end 13 of the surfboard ll, where they extend further below thelower surface of surfboard 1 than does propeller 18, to a point forwardof opening 12 where they. blend intothe lower surface of the surfboard.

An arched hood 7%, having a bullet shaped appearance, as viewed in FIG.1, is attached to the upper surface of surfboard 1, at the rear endthereof, by means of fasteners 72 and covers propelling mechanism 2 andopening 12. Slit openings 74 and 76 are provided to permit levers 39-and 40 to extend freely through hood 7th. The hood 70 is arched upwardlyfrom the upper surface of the surfboard to a maximum height at a pointover the propeller 18 where a slight clearance is provided.

In operation, the occupant lies face down on surfboard 1' with his feetplaced in depressions 53 and 54 on levers 39 and 4t) beneath straps and5d. The feet are moved alternately up and down in a substantiallyvertical direction simulating a flutter-kick swimming movement. Aslevers 39 and 49 are alternately depressed by the feet of the occupant,they will cause racks 27 and 28 to move inwardly, spur. gears 19 and 20to be rotated in a clockwise direction, rollers 22 to wedge betweenwalls 25 of spur gears 19 and 20 and shaft 17, thus driving shaft 17continuously in a clockwise direction. When levers 39 and 40 arealternately raised by the action of springs 57 and 58, and as the feetof the oc cupant are lifted, they will cause racks 27 and 28. toreciprocate outwardly, spur gears 19 and 20 to be rotated in acounter-clockwise direction, rollers 22 to be released from wedgingaction between shaft 17 and walls 25 of spur gears 19 and 2t] and thuspermit the spur gears to freely overrun shaft 17 and return to startingposition.

It will be understood that while only one embodiment of the inventionhas been illustrated in the drawings and described hereinabove, manychanges can be made in the construction, arrangement, design andmaterial disclosed without departing from the spirit of the invention orthe scope of the annexed claims.

I claim:

1. A propelling device adapted to be attached to one end of a surfboard,comprising: a housing; a propeller shaft rotatably mounted in saidhousing; gear means rotatably mounted on said shaft; one-way clutchmeans between said shaft and said gear means to operably connect saidshaft to said gear means for rotation in one direction with respecttheretorack means extending inwardly from opposite sides of said shaftand engaging said gear means; and an actuating member connected to saidrack means and movable from outside of said housing to effectreciprocation of said rack means and rotation of said propeller shaft.

2. A surfboard construction, comprising: an elongated surfboard bodymember; a propelling mechanism attached to one end of said body member;and levers mounted on said surfboard and pivoted on longitudinallydisposed axes for substantially vertical movement with respect to saidsurfboard, said levers being operably connected to said propellingmechanism, and extending above the upper surface of said body, wherebymovement of said levers in a substantially vertical direction actuatessaid propelling mechanism.

3. The construction of claim 2, wherein said levers extend upwardly andtransversely from points on said upper surface of said body.

4. In surfboard apparatus, an elongated support member having asubstantially flat upper surface, a propelling mechanism secured to saidsupport at one end thereof, and levers pivotally mounted adjacent theirinner ends on said apparatus for movement in a transverse verticalplane, said levers operably connected to said propelling mechanism andextending above said surface of said support, said levers diverging andextending generally horizontally and substantially laterally of saidsupport whereby pivotal movement of said levers causes operation of saidpropelling mechanism.

5. Surfboard apparatus, comprising: an elongated buoyant member having asubstantially fiat upper surface; pedals mounted above said surface onopposite sides of said member at the rear thereof for reciprocatingmovement in generally transverse vertical planes; rotary proelling meansmounted adjacent the rear of said member; and means connecting saidpedals with said propelling means for translating said generallyvertical movement of said pedals into rotary movement of said propellingmeans.

6. Surfboard apparatus, comprising: an elongated buoyant member having asubstantially flat upper surface; a closed housing attached to the rearend of said member; a propeller shaft rotatably mounted in said housing,one end of said shaft extending out of said housing in a rearwarddirection; a propeller mounted on the outer end of said shaft, means insaid housing operably connected to said shaft for rotating the same,said means including a first gear rotatably mounted on said shaft, afirst one way clutch positioned between said first gear and said shaftfor rotating said shaft in one direction, a second gear rotatablymounted on said shaft, and a second one-way clutch between said secondgear and said. shaft for rotating said shaft in the same direction assaid first gear; a first lever pivotally mounted intermediate the endsthereof in said housing; a' first gear rack connecting the inner end ofsaid first lever and said first gear for rotating said first gear; asecond lever pivotally mounted intermediate the ends thereof in saidhousing; and a second gear rack connecting the inner end of said secondlever and said second gear for rotating said second gear, said first andsecond levers being mounted on opposite sides of said shaft with theouter end of said first lever extending above said housing in adirection away from said second lever and the outer end of said secondlever extending above said housing in a direction away from said firstlever, said levers lying in a plane normal to said shaft andsubstantially between said gears, whereby pivotal movement of either ofsaid levers in a downward direction will rotate said propeller whilereturn movement of said levers can be effected in disengaged relationthereto.

7. A propelling mechanism adapted to be attached to the rear of asurfboard, comprising: aclosed housing; a

propeller shaft rotatably mounted in said housing, one end of said shaftextending out of said housing in a rearward direction; a propellermounted on the outer end of said shaft; means in said housing operablyconnected to said shaft for rotating the same, said means including afirst gear rotatably mounted on said shaft, a first one-way clutchpositioned between said first gear and said shaft for rotating saidshaft in one direction, a second gear rotatably mounted on said shaft,and a second one-way clutch between said second gear and said shaft forrotating said shaft in the same direction as said first gear; a firstlever pivotally mounted intermediate the ends thereof in said housing; afirst gear rack connecting the inner end of said first lever and saidfirst gear for rotating said first gear; a second lever pivotallymounted intermediate the ends thereof in said housing; and a second gearrack connecting the inner end of said second lever and said second gearfor rotating said second gear, said first and second levers beingmounted on opposite sides of said shaft with the outer end of said firstlever extending above said housing in a direction away from said secondlever and the outer end of said second lever extending above saidhousing in a direction away from said first lever, said levers lying ina plane normal to said shaft and substantially between said gears,whereby pivotal movement of either said levers in a downward directionwill rotate said propeller while return movement of said levers can beeffected in disengaged relation thereto.

8. A propelling mechanism adapted to be attached to the rear of asurfboard, comprising: a propeller shaft; support means for rotatablysupporting said shaft; :1 propeller fixed on one end of said shaft; 2pair of gears mounted on said shaft; actuating levers pivotally mountedon said support means on either side of said shaft for swinging movementin a plane transverse to said shaft; a rack connected to the inner endof each of said levers and extending inwardly therefrom, one of saidracks engaging the bottom of one of said gears and the other of saidracks engaging the top of the other of said gears; means for holdingsaid racks in engagement with the respective gears, said racks beingmovable inwardly to rotate said gears in response to swinging movementof said actuat ng levers; and spring means urging said racks into theiroutermost positions, whereby said racks may be alternately movedinwardly by operation of said levers and returned by the influence ofsaid springs.

9. Surfboard apparatus, comprising: an elongated buoyant member having asubstantially flat upper surface; pedals mounted above said surface onopposite sides of said member at the rear thereof for reciprocatingmovement in generally vertical paths; rotary propelling means fixedlymounted on a shaft adjacent the rear of said member; gear meansrotatably mounted on said shaft and oneway clutch means operablyconnecting said gear means and said shaft; and rack means in operativeengagement with said gear means, said rack means being operablyconnected to said pedals. 4

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

